Coloradans eagerly await Coors to confirm campaign

DENVER -- Coloradans still are waiting for the next beer can to drop after Gov. Bill Owens stunned the state on Wednesday by announcing that Republican brewery magnate Peter Coors would enter the Senate race.

Mr. Coors, chief executive officer of the Coors Brewing Co., said nothing publicly about his election plans yesterday, even as his face was splashed across both of the state's major newspapers and his name was foaming on the lips of every politico.

Colorado Republican Party Chairman Ted Halaby said Mr. Coors, 57, would make an announcement early next week, but the governor's staff stressed that Mr. Coors would definitely run for the party's nomination.

"Yes, he is going to run," said Sean Duffy, the governor's deputy chief of staff. "I talked to him yesterday, and he's made calls to a number of people. The nature of what he has to do beforehand as the head of a very large corporation is what's taking some time."

State Democrats weren't so sure. Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar is seen as the front-runner in the contest to replace retiring Republican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, although Mr. Coors' entry into the race could change that.

"People are getting embarrassingly out in front of this story," said state Democratic Party Chairman Chris Gates. "Pete Coors is not in the Senate race. I think it was Bill Owens' way of pushing [Coors] into the race. The story is that Pete Coors is under an immense amount of pressure to run for Senate."

Indeed, the governor's impromptu announcement has some Republicans fuming. Mr. Owens told a small group of reporters at a wildfire press conference Wednesday that Mr. Coors would run, shortly before the leading Republican candidate, former Rep. Bob Schaffer, launched his candidacy at a Republican Unity Rally on the state Capitol steps.

The news became the talk of what was supposed to be Mr. Schaffer's big campaign kickoff. It's no secret that some Republicans, worried that Mr. Schaffer lacks the funding and name recognition to win a statewide race, have been fishing for another, better-financed candidate to challenge Mr. Salazar.

Mr. Duffy said the governor had been responding to a question about the Senate race and hadn't intended to upstage Mr. Schaffer's rally. At 9:30 a.m., Mr. Duffy said, Mr. Coors called to tell the governor that he would run for the party's nomination, which was the first Mr. Owens had heard of it.

"It really wasn't an effort to disrespect or rain on Congressman Schaffer's parade at all. It was just a confluence of events, the phone call and the question that was asked at the press conference," Mr. Duffy said. "It was really unfortunate. Everybody here likes and respects Bob Schaffer a lot."

Indeed, Mr. Owens endorsed Mr. Schaffer earlier this week. That might change, however, in the event that Mr. Coors enters the race, Mr. Duffy said.

No matter what happens with Mr. Coors, however, Mr. Schaffer plans to stay in the race, said his spokeswoman, Elizabeth Blackney.